African American Music Festival
A celebration of African American culture through the lens of music and history. With daily events, lectures, and concerts, the AAMF invites guest artists, faculty members, Alumni, and public attendees annually to the Pennsylvania State University School of Music.

Recitals and Concerts
February 07, 2024
7:30 p.m. Recital Hall, Penn State School of Music
In Their Own Words Interview with Gary Abdullah, Penn State University
State College Municipal Band, Dr. Darrin Thornton, conductor

Concert Programs:
In Their Own Words
I.
American Hymnsong Suite Dwayne A. Milburn (b. 1963)
Shenandoah Omar Thomas (b. 1984)
Conversations Chandler L. Wilson (b. 1984)
State College Area Municipal Band
Dr. Darrin Thornton, conductor
II.
Interview with Gary Abdullah, WPSU Radio announcer,
and Jonida Lazellari
III.
BLK ELITES Dance Company
Amira Manley, Henry Williams, Trystan Roberts, Nyah Cole,Saniyah Copeland, Kennedi Brown, Olutomiola Adetayo,Aspen Littlejohn, Kalani Roberts, MahletShoarega, Shany Monanga,Kiandre Smith, Serenity Myers, Janita Woodson
IV.
Nonet Katahj Copley (b. 1998)
Members of the Penn State Symphonic Wind Ensemble
James Gates, conductor
Kahley Mitchell, Faith Galbraith, flute
Mandi Bearjar, Kevin Perez, clarinet
Joe Wolf, Luke Kranyak, Lauren Ackerman, saxophone
Ashley Godwin, horn
Tanner Deyo,trumpet
Bach’s Lunch
Singers from the Penn State School of Music.
Program to be announced from the stage

February 08, 2024
12:00 p.m. Bach’s Lunch, Eisenhower Chapel
3 p.m. Composers Forum: 'Current Trends in African American Music Performance and Creativity'  with Mark Lomax II and the PSU School of Music IDEA Committee, Room 117, MB1
5:30 p.m. Music Teaching and Learning – Inside and Beyond the Classroom; Forum with PSU School of Music Students and Alumni, Room 110, MB1
7:30 p.m. Spotlight Recital, Recital Hall Penn State School of Music

Concert Programs:
5:30 p.m. Room 117, Music Building I
Panel Discussion
Music Teaching and Learning:
Inside and Beyond the Classroom
Forum with School of Music students & alumni

7:30 p.m. Recital Hall
Suite for Violin and Piano William Grant Still (1895–1978)
II. Mother and Child
Matthew Weaver, ’13, violin
Jonah Glunt, piano
Early in the Morning David N. Baker (1931–2016)
Just For Me Rev. Donnie McClurkin (b. 1959)
Lachele Vaughn, ’99, ’03g, soprano
Jonah Glunt, piano
A City Called Heaven Hall Johnson (1888–1970)
Loves In Need of Love Today Stevie Wonder (b. 1950)
Eric Williamson, ’14, tenor
Jonah Glunt, piano
Fantasy in G for Violin and Piano Florence Price (1887–1953)
Max Zorin, violin
Melody Quah, piano
The Jungle Flower Harry T. Burleigh (1866–1949)
Give Me Nobody Without Your Soul Still
Kiena Williams, ’14, soprano
Jonah Glunt, piano
Love Letters (2023) Velvet Brown (b. 1969)
Velvet Brown, tuba
Kathy Cinatl, piano
Way Out Willie Seamus Blake (b. 1970)
Second Thoughts Mulgrew Miller (1955–2013)
Corey Wallace, trombone
with
Centre Dimensions Combo
Alex Mijangos, director, double bass
Sammy Hallacher, Max Donaghy, saxophone
Jacob Rea, piano
Max Dungan, guitar
Nick Letwin, Ricky Horning, percussion

February 9,2024
2:30 p.m. Common Hour Recital, Recital Hall Penn State School of Music
5:30 p.m. Jerry Zolten, professor emeritus, Penn State Altoona presents a session on the Documentary film by Henry Louis Gates Jr. on 'Gospel' Music. Recital Hall
7:30 p.m. Guest Artist Recital with Gilbert L. Bailey II and Allyson Kaye Daniel. Recital Hall

Concert Programs:
2:30 p.m. Recital Hall
Common Hour
STRUM Jessie Montgomery (b. 1981)
Graduate String Quintet
Tim McClure, violin
Rue Xue, violin
Carla Mendoza Trejo, viola
Isaac McNulty, cello
Dante Tramontin, double bass

Fantasia III Kevin Day (b. 1996)
Graduate Brass Quintet
Antwan Hill, trumpet
Hayden Cameron, trumpet
Ashley Godwin, horn
Andrew Zall, trombone
Jaden Adkins, tuba

Prelude for Unaccompanied Flute Ulysses Kay(1917–95)
Kahley Mitchell, flute
Peace Montgomery
Torra Bridges, violin
Seulki Yoo, piano

Halo Joe Moore III (b. 1986)
Ryder Haines, Eunice Sun, Caden Werner, percussion
Ignition Kevin Day
Penn State Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble
Velvet Brown, conductor
Izzy Landis, William McCowan, Logan Anderson, euphonium
Jaden Adkins, Nicholas Anderson, Sarah Campbell, Ian Cavalari,
Caiden Flowers, Kevin Freeman, Aaron King, Kurt Phillips,
Aiden Phillips, Adam Scherr, tuba

5:30 p.m. Recital Hall

Presentation
Jerry Zolten, professor emeritus, Penn State Altoona, presents a
session on the documentary series Gospel by Henry Louis Gates Jr.
 
7:30 p.m. Recital Hall
Guest Artist Recital
Allyson Kaye Daniel, soprano
Gilbert Bailey II, tenor
with
Seulki Yoo, piano
I. Allyson Kaye Daniel, soprano
Your Daddy’s Son from Ragtime  Stephen Flaherty
Caldonia from Five Guys Named Moe  Louis Jordan
Feed Me Seymore from Little Shop of Horrors  Alan Menken
Squeeze Me from Ain’t Misbehavin’  Fats Waller
Saved from Smokey Joes Café  Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller
Deep River  Moses Hogan
My Man’s Gone Now from Porgy and Bess  George Gershwin
Yours, Yours, Yours from 1776  Sherman Edwards
Hell No! from The Color Purple  Brenda Russell/Allee Willis/Stephen Bray

II. - Gilbert Bailey II, tenor
Santa Fe from Rent  Jonathan Larsen
I’d Rather Be Sailing from A New Brain  William Finn
Family from Dreamgirls  Henry Krieger
Mean Ole Lion from The Wiz  Charlie Smalls
Don’t Let Me Go from Shrek the Musical  Jeanine Tesori
Azure Te from Five Guys Named Moe  Jordan
Early in the Morning from Five Guys Named Moe  Jordan
Be a Lion from The Wiz  Smalls

February 10, 2024
1 p.m. Recital Hall, Penn State School of Music
Large Ensembles – Instrumental and Choral

Concert Programs:
1:00 p.m. Recital Hall
Tapestry
Freedom (2023) Stephen Hopkins (b. 1953)
Encinctured with a Twine of Leaves Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875–1912)
Oriana Singers
Kathryn Hylton, conductor
We Shall Walk Through the Valley in Peace William Appling  (1932–2008)
Got a Mind to Do Right arr. David Morrow (b. 1959)
Penn State Glee Club
Christopher Kiver, conductor
My Soul’s Been Anchored in the Lord Moses Hogan (1957–2003)
Penn State University Choir
Bryan Nichols, conductor
Come Sunday Duke Ellington (1899–1974) arr. Alice Parker (1925–2023)
Vocal Dimensions
Kathryn Hylton, conductor
Elizabeth Webb, piano
There Is a Balm in Gilead William L. Dawson (1899–1990)
Ain’t That Good News Hogan
Concert Choir
Christopher Kiver, conductor

The Tribulation Suite M. Roger Holland II (b. 1964)
Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen
I’m Troubled in Mind
Wade in the Water
Soon Ah Will Be Done
Kiena Williams, soprano
Allyson Kaye Daniel, mezzo soprano
Christyn Seay, tenor
Jason Adams, bass/baritone
Essence of Joy, Essence 2 Ltd., Essence of Joy Alumni Singers, Capital
Area Music Association
Anthony Leach, conductor
A Celebration of the Musical Legacy of Locksley “Slide” Hampton (1932–2021)
selections to be announced
Slide Dimensions
Gabriel Herrera, conductor
Corey Wallace, Erik Barber, Colson Board, Ian Bruce,
Nick Coffield, Isaiah Ebersole, James Gates, Gabriel Herrera,
Paul Petretta, CJ Seamon, Andy Zall, trombones
Ailish Quinones, piano
Alex Mijangos, bass
Caden Werner, drums
AMEN! (2017) Carlos Simon(b. 1986)
Lively
Soulfully
Mysteriously
Symphonic Wind Ensemble
Tonya Mitchell-Spradlin,conductor

Date: February 7-10, 2024

Location: Penn State School of Music - 124 Borland Building,University Park, PA 16802

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